Senate President Francis Escudero said Wednesday that there is no reason to discipline Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Juan Miguel Zubiri after their heated altercation in the Senate’s plenary hall on Tuesday night.
The incident, which went viral, showed Cayetano and Zubiri engaging in a tense exchange, with Cayetano even squaring up against Zubiri. Despite the clash, Escudero dismissed the need for sanctions, stating that it was a natural human reaction, and both senators resolved their differences shortly after.
“Wala akong nakikitang rason o dahilan para gawin ‘yon, dahil gaya ng sabi ko, tao lang naman na minsan lumalabas ‘yung bugso ng damdamin kaugnay sa kanilang paniniwala at adbokasiya at natapos din naman ‘yan matapos ang ilang minuto kung saan naghingian sila ng tawad sa isa’t isa,” Escudero said in a chance interview at Malacañang when asked if the senators would face disciplinary action.
Escudero also shared that he apologized, attributing the incident to the long hours of work in recent days. The altercation occurred around 9 PM, and fatigue likely played a role in the exchange.
“Naki-eksena na rin ako, humingi ako ng tawad dahil mahaba-haba ang oras naming pagtatrabaho nitong nagdaang linggo dahil sa mga panukalang batas na hinahabol namin. Nangyari ‘yung insidente mag-nine na, so medyo pagod na rin ‘yung miyembro at medyo gabi na,” he added.
